An alleged shoplifter stopped in a Ruston store was found in possession of a concealed firearm and two magazines of ammunition Sunday evening.
Ruston Police responded to the Walmart Supercenter about 10:30 p.m. Sunday night to investigate a reported shoplifter. A Walmart staffer said a black bag strapped to Deandre D. Brice, Jr., 18, of Monroe, containing a bag of candy were property of Walmart. Brice had allegedly removed the price tag from the black bag and placed a bag of candy in it.
When an officer asked Brice to open the bag, the suspect said there was a firearm inside. The bag contained the firearm and two loaded magazines of ammunition. Brice said he did not have a concealed carry permit and that the firearm belonged to a female friend.
Brice was arrested and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for theft by shoplifting and illegal carrying of a firearm. Bail was set at $11,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
